IDF Says Footage of Nakba Day 'Killings' is Misleading

Palestinian Arab activists and radical leftists have uploaded an edited video that claims to show security camera footage of the IDF shooting two Arab youths, in an incident that took place last Thursday, on “Nakba Day.”

The youths hurled rocks at IDF soldiers at the Bitunia checkpoint, not far from Beit El. The footage appears to show them dropping to the ground as they walked away from the IDF position.

The IDF said that the video is heavily edited in order to give a false picture of what really took place. “On Thursday, a violent and illegal disturbance took place at Bitunia,” it insisted. “The video is edited in a tendentious manner and does not reflect the violence of the riot.”

"An initial conversation with the forces that operated on the scene of the disturbance indicates no firing of live bullets. However, the Military Prosecution has given instructions for launching an investigation by Investigative Military Police.”

Major Aryeh Shalicar, and IDF spokesperson, reiterated the same message to AFP, saying "that film was edited and does not reflect the reality of the day in question; the violence. As part of our inquiry we have investigated whether there was live fire and we have not found that there was live fire. We are continuing with our investigation."

PLO condemns "deliberate execution"

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a group which has never renounced terror, lost no time in jumping on the angle presented in the video.

"In the strongest possible terms, we condemn the deliberate execution of two Palestinian teenagers who were fatally shot with live ammunition outside Ofer prison last week," PLO spokesperson Hanan Ashrawi said according to AFP.

"Both boys were unarmed and posed no direct or immediate threat. Israel's use of excessive and indiscriminate violence and live ammunition at non-violent Palestinian demonstrations constitutes war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law," added Ashrawi, glossing over the stones and burning tires thrown at the "non-violent" demonstration.

Amnesty International likewise criticized Israel over the incident, saying "the Israeli army and border police used excessive, including lethal, force in response to rock-throwing protesters who could not have posed a threat to the lives of the soldiers and policemen in or near the fortified military camp."

Palestinian Arabs are notorious for their use of editing tricks, acting and other means of deception, in order to create the illusion that IDF soldiers behave improperly. The industry of such fake videos has come to be called 'Pallywood.'